Integrally fabricated tile-leveling base and wedge

ABSTRACT

A tile-leveling base and wedge are integrally fabricated. The base includes a tile-supporting platform. A base post including post proximal and distal ends has its proximal end attached to the tile-supporting platform at a first breakaway joint. A cross member perpendicularly depends from the post distal end and includes a cross-member distal edge facing away from the tile-supporting platform and at least one wedge-engaging surface that is at least one of (i) spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, the platform and (ii) pivotable at the first breakaway joint into a position in which it is spaced apart from, and facing, the platform. The wedge includes a wedge tip, which tip, at the time of contemporaneous fabrication with the base, is attached to the base at a second breakaway joint so that the wedge can be separated from the base for use in combination with the base.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS/PRIORITY CLAIMS

The present application is a continuation-in-part application ofInternational Application Serial No. PCT/US2018/054692 filed Oct. 5,2018 pursuant to the Patent Cooperation Treaty, and under the title“INTEGRALLY FABRICATED TILE-LEVELING BASE AND WEDGE.” ApplicationPCT/US2018/054692 claimed priority benefits in U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/568,646 filed Oct. 5, 2017 under the title “ONE PIECEFLOOR OR WALL TILE, LEVELING SYSTEM” and U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 62/584,889 filed Nov. 12, 2017 under the title “INTEGRALLYFABRICATED TILE-LEVELING BASE AND WEDGE.”

The present application claims the benefit of the filing dates of U.S.Provisional Application Ser. Nos. 62/568,646 and 62/584,889, as well asthe filing date of PCT Application No. PCT/US2018/054692, based on thepriority chain outlined above. Moreover, the entireties of thedisclosures, including the drawings, of all three previous applicationsin the aforesaid priority chain are incorporated herein by reference asif set forth fully in the present application.

BACKGROUND

A key objective of a quality floor or wall tile installation is ensuringthat at every joint at which adjacent tiles meet, the tiles are evenlyspaced and mutually level (i.e., coplanar). Depending on the layout andlocation of tiles within a titled space, two or four tiles may meet at acommon joint, for example. Ideally, all tiles over a particular tiledarea should extend along a common tile plane with no discernabledeviation in heights of the tiles' upper surfaces (i.e., the surfacesvisible to observers after installation).

Various apparatus and devices have been devised to aid in the levelingof tiles during installation. One common system includes a cooperatingcombination of tile-leveling bases and wedges. One example of such abase and wedge leveling system is produced by QEP, and sold under thetradename “LASH,” which is an acronym for “level, align, space, andhold.” Several manufacturers, including QEP, refer to as “clips” thestructures introduced above as “bases.” Throughout the remainder of thepresent specification, as well as the claims, the term “base” or“tile-leveling base” is employed, as well as their plural forms, “bases”and “tile-leveling bases.” Although the specific configurations of thetile-leveling bases and wedges may vary among types and manufactures,the various tile-leveling bases and wedges have in common certaingeneral elements.

A tile-leveling base includes a tile-supporting platform configured toextend, when deployed, along the tile plane and below the lower surfacesof two or more adjacent tiles. Extending perpendicularly to thetile-supporting platform is a base post. The base post extends for apredetermined distance away from the tile-supporting platform toward apost distal end. Extending perpendicularly from the base post is atleast one cross member, each of which cross members includes at leastone wedge-engaging surface spaced apart by a predetermined distancefrom, and facing, the base platform. The predetermined distance by whichthe base platform and the wedge-engaging surface are spaced apart ispreconfigured to be larger than the thickness of the tiles with whichthat particular tile-leveling base is to be used. In this way, in thecase of floor tile, for example, when the tile lower surfaces ofadjacent tiles are resting on the base platform, there is defined awedge gap between each tile upper surface and the wedge-engagingsurface.

A wedge for use in combination with the tile-leveling base includeswedge bottom and top surfaces. The wedge bottom surface extendslongitudinally between a wedge heel and wedge tip, and is configured forcontactably engaging and sliding across tiles' upper surfaces. The wedgetop surface also extends longitudinally between the wedge heel and tip,and along a plane nonparallel to the wedge bottom surface such that thewedge bottom and top surfaces mutually converge to define the wedge tip.

For purposes of understanding, use of a tile-leveling base and wedge isbriefly described in the context of tiling a floor, as opposed to awall, and even then only by way of non-limiting example. With a first oftwo tiles situated on top of still-wet setting material (e.g., mortar),a portion of the tile-supporting platform of a tile-leveling base isinserted under the tile lower surface of that first tile with the basepost protruding upwardly above the tile upper surface. Next, with enoughstill-wet setting material spread adjacent the first tile to accommodatea second tile, the second tile is situated adjacent the first tile, withthe tile lower surface of that second tile resting over a portion of thetile-supporting platform on the opposite side of the base post from theportion of the tile-supporting platform supporting the first tile.Moreover, the first and second tiles are adjacently situated such thatthere is defined between them a tile gap, which is later filled withgrout.

With the base post extending upwardly through the tile gap between thefirst and second tiles, a wedge is aligned with and slidably insertedinto the wedge gap defined between each tile upper surface and thewedge-engaging surface of the cross member. As the wedge is urged intothe wedge gap in a direction perpendicular to the tile gap, and alongthe tile upper surfaces of the first and second tiles, the wedge topsurface eventually engages the wedge-engaging surface of the crossmember extending perpendicularly from the base post. When the wedge isthusly urged from the wedge heel with sufficient force, the cross member“rides” up the wedge top surface, thereby applying an upwardly directedtensile force to the base post and urging the base platform toward andagainst the tile lower surfaces. At the same time, the wedge bottomsurface is being urged downwardly with equal and opposite force againstthe tile upper surfaces. Because the wedge bottom surface defines asingle plane, the tile upper surfaces of the first and second tiles arebrought into planar alignment along the tile gap defined between thefirst and second tiles.

Once the setting material cures (i.e., dries) and the titles are set,the base post is broken away from the tile-supporting platform. Thisstep is most frequently achieved by striking the base post with a rubbermallet or kicking it with a work shoe substantially along—and notacross—the tile gap defined between the adjacent tiles. The base post isdesigned to break away from the tile-supporting platform—which ispermanently set in place under the adjacent tiles—at a location belowthe tile upper surfaces so that, when gap-filling grout is appliedbetween the tiles, no remaining portion of the tile-leveling base isvisible.

Presently, tile-leveling bases are manufactured, packaged and soldseparately from the wedges suitable for use with those wedges. On themanufacturing and distribution side, this fact requires separatefabrication, packaging, and display at retail of the bases and wedges.On the consumer side, care must be taken to match tile-leveling baseswith properly sized wedges.

Accordingly, a need exists for a tile-leveling base and wedge that areintegrally formed at the time of fabrication, but configured for readyon-site separation by a tile installer.

SUMMARY

In each of various embodiments, a tile-leveling base and wedge for usewith the base are contemporaneously and integrally fabricated. Themanner in which the wedge and base are integrally formed may vary, asthe particular method of manufacture is not central to various aspectsof the invention. Although injection molding is regarded as aparticularly advantageous option, alternative molding techniques, oreven 3D printing, are possibilities within the scope and contemplationof the invention.

The tile-leveling base includes a tile-supporting platform with opposedplatform top and bottom sides bounded by a platform periphery. A basepost includes post proximal and distal ends. The tile-supportingplatform and base post are formed at manufacture such that the postproximal end is attached to the tile-supporting platform by and at afirst breakaway joint with a predetermined first tensile strength and apredetermined first shear strength.

At least one cross member depends from, and extends perpendicularly to,the post distal end. Most commonly, the cross member will simply beintegrally formed as a portion of the base post itself, while alsohaving certain discernable elements including a cross-member distal edgefacing away from the tile-supporting platform. Additionally, the crossmember includes at least one wedge-engaging surface that is at least oneof (i) spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, theplatform top side and (ii) movable into a position in which it is spacedapart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, the platform topside.

The wedge extends longitudinally along a wedge axis between a wedge heeland a wedge tip. A wedge bottom surface and an opposed wedge top surfacecoextend longitudinally along the wedge axis. The wedge bottom and topsurfaces generally extend along respective non-parallel planes such thatthey mutually converge to define the wedge tip. In some embodiments, thewedge top surface is undulated in a manner defining, for example, a sawtooth or stepped profile. The reason for this will be readilyappreciated by practitioners of the tile-installation profession, andeven “do-it-yourself” homeowners: such a surface allows the wedge, whenin use with the tile-leveling base, to engage the wedge-engaging surfacein increments and “click” as it is advanced between the wedge-engagingsurface and tile upper surfaces.

As fabricated, various embodiments are configured such that the wedgetip is attached to the cross-member distal edge at a second breakawayjoint with a predetermined second tensile strength and a predeterminedsecond shear strength. The second breakaway joint facilitates selectiveseparation for use of the wedge from the tile-leveling base withoutfunction-defeating damage to either one of the wedge and tile-levelingbase. Although, in alternative versions, the wedge tip may instead beattached by a second breakaway joint to the platform periphery,attachment of the wedge tip to the cross-member distal edge of variousembodiments facilitates particular methods of use later described.

In accordance with at least one variation, the first breakaway joint bywhich the base post proximal end is attached to the tile-supportingplatform is a living hinge. The living hinge is configured such that thebase post is pivotable relative to the tile-supporting platform betweenpost first and second attitudes. In the post first attitude, the basepost is substantially coplanar with the tile-supporting platform, while,in the post second attitude, the base post extends perpendicularly tothe tile-supporting platform in a direction upwardly of the platform topside. It is to be understood that “upwardly” as used in the precedingsentence is a relative term; while the tile-leveling base may beoriented in any number of orientations in space, a “common-vernaculardefinition” of “upwardly” in this case indicates that, in the postsecond attitude, the base post protrudes away from the tile-supportingplatform in the same direction that the platform top side faces.

At the time that each of various embodiments is fabricated, the basepost and tile-supporting platform are formed with the base post in thepost first attitude. In such instances, the post first attitude may bealternatively referred to as the “fabrication attitude.” In contrast, inorder to deploy the pivotable base post for use, the base post must bepivoted into or toward the post second attitude. For this reason, thepost second attitude may be alternatively referred to as the “deployedattitude.”

Once the tile-leveling base and wedge are separated from one another,and the base post is in the deployed attitude, the tile-leveling baseand wedge may be used in a manner consistent with the manner in whichextant tile-leveling bases and wedges are used. Accordingly, theexplanation of the use of bases and wedges provided in the background isrelied upon to provide the explanation and disclosure as to how thetile-leveling based and wedges of the present invention are employed ona tiling job.

When a user uses an embodiment of the tile-leveling base and wedge insubstantially the same manner as existing, separately fabricated basesand wedges, (s)he tears the wedge from the base at the second breakawayjoint before setting the base platform under two adjacent tiles. Forsuch uses, it matters little whether, at the time of fabrication, thewedge tip is attached to the tile-leveling base at the platformperiphery or the cross-member distal edge. However, certain particularmethods of use implementable only in association with wedges andtile-leveling bases integrally fabricated in general accordance with thepresent invention specifically require fabrication with the wedge tipattached to the cross-member distal edge.

According to one method of leveling title, there is provided anintegrally fabricated wedge and tile-leveling base as generallydescribed above, but specifically wherein the wedge tip is attached tothe cross-member distal edge. Moreover, in order to facilitate themethod, at least one of the following parameters is met relative to thefirst and second breakaway joints associated with, respectively, (a) theattachment between the post proximal end and the tile-supportingplatform and (b) the attachment between the wedge tip and thecross-member distal edge: (i) the first tensile strength is greater thanthe second tensile strength and (ii) the first shear strength is greaterthan the second shear strength. More generally, the idea is that, priorto the separation of any integrally formed elements, the connectionbetween the wedge tip and the cross-member distal edge be weaker thanthe connection between the base post and the tile-supporting platform sothat the wedge separates more easily from the cross-member distal edgethan the base post separates from the tile-supporting platform.

According to the illustrative method, adjacent tiles are placed withtheir tile lower surfaces resting on the same tile-supporting platformand with a tile gap defined between them, as generally described above.However, at this point in the method, the wedge is still attached to thecross-member distal edge of base post extending upwardly between andabove the tile upper surfaces. With the tile-setting material still wet,a tile installer pulls up on the wedge, using it as a kind of handle, tourge the tile-supporting platform toward the tile lower surfaces andpreliminarily level the tiles.

Following the preliminary leveling, the installer separates the wedgefrom the cross-member distal edge of the base post. This separation maybe done by a tearing action which could entail applying to the wedge atleast one of (a) tensile force and (b) shear force of sufficientmagnitude to cause failure of (i.e., break) the second breakaway jointat which the wedge tip and cross-member distal edge are joined. It isenvisioned that a shear force sufficient to break the second breakawayjoint may be applied by a user's grasping and twisting the wedge aboutthe wedge axis in either a clockwise or counterclockwise directionrelative to the tile plane. At this point, it is important that theapplied force cause the second breakaway joint, and not the firstbreakaway joint, to fail; if the first breakaway joint fails at thisstage, the base post will no longer be attached to the tile-supportingplatform, and the wedge will be rendered useless. Following removal ofthe wedge, the tile-leveling base and wedge are then used insubstantially the traditional manner previously described to finalizethe tile leveling before the tile-setting material permanently sets thetiles.

Representative embodiments are more completely described and depicted inthe following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tile-leveling base and wedgeintegrally formed;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the tile-leveling base and wedge of FIG. 1showing the base post in a post first attitude relative to thetile-supporting platform of the tile-leveling base;

FIG. 3 is a second perspective view of the tile-leveling base and wedgeof FIGS. 1 and 2 in which—with the wedge and tile-leveling base stilljoined—the base post has been pivoted relative to the tile-supportingplatform from the post first attitude to a second post attitude in whichthe base post extends perpendicularly to the tile-supporting platform;

FIG. 4 presents a side view of the still-joined tile-leveling base andwedge of FIGS. 1-3 and the base post in the second post attitude;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tile-leveling base and wedge ofFIGS. 1-4 after they have been separated from one another and positionedfor use;

FIG. 6 is a side view showing of the same relative arrangement of thenow-separated tile-leveling base and wedge in the same relativearrangement in which they are depicted in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 shows a plurality of tile-leveling base and wedge sets stackedfor packaging.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of variously embodied tile-leveling bases andwedges is demonstrative in nature and is not intended to limit theinvention or its application of uses. Accordingly, the variousimplementations, aspects, versions and embodiments described in thesummary and detailed description are in the nature of non-limitingexamples falling within the scope of the appended claims and do notserve to restrict the maximum scope of the claims.

With conjunctive reference to FIGS. 1-6, components of an illustrativetile-leveling base and wedge set 10 are shown and described. As depictedthroughout the drawings, the tile-leveling base and wedge system 10includes two main elements: (i) a tile-leveling base 100 and (ii) wedge200 configured to cooperate with that tile-leveling base 100. As aninitial observation, FIGS. 1-4 show the title-leveling base 100 andwedge 200 as joined (integrally formed) in their manufactured state,while FIGS. 5 and 6 show the tile-leveling base 100 and wedge 200separated from one another, but generally positioned relative to oneanother in a cooperative state for leveling tiles. Each of the two mainelements is the subject of detailed discussion below in conjunction withreferenced drawings.

Throughout the drawings, like reference characters are used to denotelike elements, regardless of whether a particular reference character iscalled out with reference to a particular figure in the presentdescription. Although the major sub-elements of the tile-leveling base100 and wedge 200 are visible in all of the drawings, they areintroduced with initial reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The tile-leveling base 100 includes a tile-supporting platform 115 withopposed platform top and bottom sides 120 and 130 bounded by a platformperiphery 135. A base post 150 includes post proximal and distal ends152 and 154. The post proximal end 152 is attached to thetile-supporting platform 115 by a first breakaway joint J_(B1).

The first breakaway joint J_(B1) is configured to possess apredetermined first tensile strength and a predetermined first shearstrength. More specifically, as will be appreciated by practitioners ofthe tile installation profession familiar with the tile-leveling basesof existing base and wedge systems, the first breakaway joint J_(B1)should have a sufficiently high tensile strength to withstand a forcesufficient to draw adjacent tiles into a coplanar alignment as the wedge200 is used to exert an upwardly directed tensile force on the base post150. On the other hand, the shear strength of the first breakaway jointJ_(B1) must be sufficiently low to facilitate removal of the base post150 from between the two adjacently aligned tiles once the tile-settingmaterial has set. The removal of these posts is most commonly achievedby a person's kicking them or impacting them with a tool, such as arubber mallet, that will not damage the installed tile. These parametersand steps are so ubiquitously understood by tile installers that furtherexplanation of them is unwarranted.

Depending from the post distal end 154 is at least one cross member 160.As in the example shown, in most configurations, the cross member 160 isintegrally formed as an extension of the base post 150. The cross member160 includes a cross-member distal edge 162 facing away from thetile-supporting platform 115. Moreover, on a cross-member proximal edge163 generally opposite the cross-member distal edge 162 there is atleast one wedge-engaging surface 164. In the particular embodimentshown, the base post 150 and cross member 160 form a substantiallyT-shaped structure that defines two wedge-engaging surfaces 164.However, alternative configurations are within the scope andcontemplation of the invention such as, for example, a dual base postwith a cross member that bridges a single wedge-accommodating gapdefined between the dual base posts and the cross member.

In the illustrative, non-limiting configuration shown and described, thefirst breakaway joint J_(B1) is a living hinge H_(L) configured suchthat the base post 150 is pivotable relative to the tile-supportingplatform 115 between post first and second attitudes. In the post firstattitude, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the base post 150 is substantiallycoplanar with the tile-supporting platform 115. In more common parlance,the base post 150 “lies flat” along the tile-supporting platform 115.Comparatively, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when in the post secondattitude, the base post 150 extends perpendicularly to thetile-supporting platform 115 in a direction upwardly of the platform topside 120. In pivoting between the post first and second attitudes, thebase post subtends an angle of substantially 90°. With the benefit ofconjunctive reference to FIGS. 1-4, it is more readily appreciated whythe post first and second attitudes are alternatively referred to as,respectively, the “fabrication” and “deployed” attitudes. As molded inan injection mold, for example, the tile-leveling base 100 and wedge 200are in substantially the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; that is,with the base post 150 in the post first attitude. To use thetile-leveling base 100, the base post 150 is pivoted to the post secondattitude, or, the “deployed attitude.”

Referring now to the other principal component, the wedge 200 extendslongitudinally along a wedge axis A_(W) between a wedge heel 210 and awedge tip 220. A wedge bottom surface 240 and a wedge top surface 260longitudinally coextend forwardly of the wedge 210 heel and converge todefine the wedge tip 220. In the illustrative version depicted, thewedge top surface 260 is undulated in a manner defining a saw tooth orstepped profile, which serves the purpose explained in the summary.

The depicted version of the tile-leveling base and wedge set 10 isconfigured such that the wedge tip 220 is attached to the cross-memberdistal edge 162 at a second breakaway joint J_(B2) configured to possessa predetermined second tensile strength and a predetermined second shearstrength. The second breakaway joint J_(B2) facilitates selectiveseparation for use of the wedge 200 from the tile-leveling base 100without function-defeating damage to either one of the wedge 200 andtile-leveling base 100. As noted in the summary, in an alternativeversion, the wedge tip 220 may be joined to the tile-leveling base 100by the second breakaway joint J_(B2) along the platform periphery 135.Because the scenario in which the wedge tip 220 is attached at thecross-member distal edge 162 is shown, and the relocation of the secondbreakaway joint J_(B2) to the platform periphery 135 can be readilyenvisioned, this latter arrangement is adequately disclosed, supported,and within the scope of the claims appended hereto unless claimslanguage otherwise explicitly excludes it.

As explained in the summary, a particular subset of embodiments in whichthe second breakaway joint J_(B2) joins the wedge tip 220 to thecross-member distal edge 162 facilitates certain tile-leveling methodsteps not associated with traditional methods of installation involvingseparately available wedges and tile-leveling bases. While theseillustrative method steps were discussed in the summary in termssufficiently clear and complete to enable a person of ordinary skill inthe related trades—or even untrained homeowners—to implement them, theyare further elucidated with principal reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, the still-attached wedge 200 and tile-leveling base100 are shown in an orientation in which they would be when adjacenttiles are placed with their tile lower surfaces resting on the sametile-supporting platform 115 and with a tile gap defined between them.While illustrative tiles are not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, there placementcan be readily imagined, a fact that renders specific illustration ofsame unnecessary. Moreover, illustrative tiles—tile 1 and tile 2—areshown in FIG. 6 in the way they would be placed relative to thetile-leveling base 100 even before separation of the wedge 200.

Referring once again to FIGS. 3 and 4, at this point in the method, thewedge 200 is still attached to the cross-member distal edge 162 of thebase post 160 extending upwardly between and above the tile uppersurfaces (again, see FIG. 6 for a visual of the tile upper surfaces).With the tile-setting material still wet, a tile installer pulls up onthe wedge 200, using it as a kind of handle, to urge the tile-supportingplatform 115 toward the tile lower surfaces. This action preliminarilylevels the tiles, before the wedge 200 is separated.

Following the preliminary tile leveling, the installer separates thewedge 200 from the cross-member distal edge 162 of the base post 160.This separation may be done by a tearing action which could entailapplying to the wedge 200 at least one of (a) tensile force and (b)shear force of sufficient magnitude to cause failure of the secondbreakaway joint J_(B2) at which the wedge tip 200 and cross-memberdistal edge 162 are attached. It is envisioned that a shear forcesufficient to break the second breakaway joint J_(B2) may be applied bya user's grasping and twisting the wedge 200 about the wedge axis A_(W)in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction relative to the tileplane. At this point, it is important that the applied force cause thesecond breakaway joint J_(B2), and not the first breakaway joint J_(B1),to fail; if the first breakaway joint fails J_(B1) at this stage, thebase post 160 will no longer be attached to the tile-supporting platform115, thereby rendering useless for subsequent steps the base post 160and the wedge 200.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the tile-leveling base 100 and the wedge 200 afterthey have been separated and are generally situated for use. Tiles arenot shown in FIG. 5 so that the relative positions of the tile-levelingbase 100 and the wedge 200 can be seen unobstructed. In the sidecross-sectional view, however, the tile-leveling base 100 and the wedge200 are shown in situ relative to first and second tiles (“tile 1” and“tile 2”) to be rendered coplanar by the tile-leveling base and wedgeset 10 in the general manner explained in the background with respect toexisting tiling-leveling bases and wedges.

The benefits of integral fabrication of a tile-leveling base 100 andwedge 200 are several. In addition to facilitating the execution ofcertain installation methods described above, integral fabricationfacilitates production, distribution, and sale of a tile-leveling base100 and appropriately-sized, matching wedge 200 in a single step. At theretailer and user ends, there is assured a matching quantity of bases100 and wedges 200 on display for sale and on a jobsite. An additionaladvantage of integral fabrication in a manner described in associationwith some aspects (e.g., wherein the base post 150 lays flat along thetile-supporting platform 115) is that stacking of plural tile-levelingbase and wedge sets 10 is facilitated. FIG. 7 illustratively depicts aplurality of tile-leveling base and wedge sets 10 with the base post 150of each in the preferred “fabrication attitude,” and the wedge 200 ofeach still attached to its respective tile-leveling base 100. A stacksuch as that in FIG. 7 could then be packaged for sale.

The foregoing is considered to be illustrative of the principles of theinvention. Furthermore, since modifications and changes to variousaspects and implementations will occur to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, it is tobe understood that the foregoing does not limit the invention asexpressed in the appended claims to the exact constructions,implementations and versions shown and described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tile-leveling base and wedge integrallyfabricated and comprising: a tile-leveling base including atile-supporting platform with opposed platform top and bottom sidesbounded by a platform periphery; a base post including post proximal anddistal ends, the post proximal end being attached to the tile-supportingplatform by and at a first breakaway joint; at least one cross memberdepending from, and extending perpendicularly to, the post distal endand including a cross-member distal edge facing away from thetile-supporting platform and at least one wedge-engaging surface that isat least one of (i) spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, andfacing, the platform top side and (ii) movable into a position in whichit is spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, theplatform top side; and a wedge extending longitudinally along a wedgeaxis between a wedge heel and a wedge tip, the wedge including a wedgebottom surface and a wedge top surface that coextend longitudinallyalong the wedge axis and mutually converge to define the wedge tip;wherein, (i) the wedge tip is attached to the cross-member distal edgeat a second breakaway joint in order to facilitate selective separationof the wedge from the tile-leveling base without function-defeatingdamage to either one of the wedge and tile-leveling base; and (ii) thesecond breakaway joint is weaker than the first breakaway joint suchthat the wedge separates more easily from the cross-member distal edgethan the base post separates from the tile-supporting platform.
 2. Thetile-leveling base and wedge of claim 1 integrally fabricating byinjection molding.
 3. The tile-leveling base and wedge of claim 1wherein the first breakaway joint by which the base post is attached tothe tile-supporting platform is a living hinge such that the base postis pivotable relative to the tile-supporting platform between a postfirst attitude in which the base post is substantially coplanar with thetile-supporting platform and a post second attitude in which the basepost extends perpendicularly to the tile-supporting platform in adirection upwardly of the platform top side.
 4. The tile-leveling baseand wedge of claim 3 wherein the base post and tile-supporting platformare formed at the time of fabrication with the base post in the postfirst attitude.
 5. A tile-leveling base and wedge integrally fabricatedand comprising: a tile-leveling base including a tile-supportingplatform with opposed platform top and bottom sides bounded by aplatform periphery; a base post including post proximal and distal ends,the post proximal end being attached to the tile-supporting platform byand at a first breakaway joint; at least one cross member dependingfrom, and extending perpendicularly to, the post distal end andincluding a cross-member distal edge facing away from thetile-supporting platform and at least one wedge-engaging surface that isat least one of (i) spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, andfacing, the platform top side and (ii) movable into a position in whichit is spaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, theplatform top side; and a wedge extending longitudinally along a wedgeaxis between a wedge heel and a wedge tip, the wedge including a wedgebottom surface and a wedge top surface that coextend longitudinallyalong the wedge axis and mutually converge to define the wedge tip;wherein, the wedge tip is attached to the tile-leveling base at a secondbreakaway joint in order to facilitate selective separation of the wedgefrom the tile-leveling base without function-defeating damage to eitherone of the wedge and tile-leveling base.
 6. The tile-leveling base andwedge of claim 5 wherein the base post and tile-supporting platform areformed at the time of fabrication with the wedge tip attached to thecross-member distal edge by the second breakaway joint.
 7. Thetile-leveling base and wedge of claim 6 wherein (i) the first breakawayjoint by which the base post is attached to the tile-supporting platformis a living hinge such that the base post is pivotable relative to thetile-supporting platform between a post first attitude in which the basepost extends substantially along the tile-supporting platform and a postsecond attitude in which the base post extends perpendicularly to thetile-supporting platform in a direction upwardly of the platform topside; and (ii) the second breakaway joint is weaker than the firstbreakaway joint such that the wedge separates more easily from thecross-member distal edge than the base post separates from thetile-supporting platform when there is applied to the wedge at least oneof (a) tensile force and (b) shear force of sufficient magnitude tocause failure of the second breakaway joint at which the wedge tip andcross-member distal edge.
 8. The tile-leveling base and wedge of claim 7wherein the base post and tile-supporting platform are formed at thetime of fabrication with the base post in the post first attitude. 9.The tile-leveling base and wedge of claim 8 integrally fabricating byinjection molding.
 10. The tile-leveling base and wedge of claim 7integrally fabricating by injection molding.
 11. The tile-leveling baseand wedge of claim 6 integrally fabricating by injection molding.
 12. Atile-leveling base and wedge integrally fabricated and comprising: atile-leveling base including a tile-supporting platform with opposedplatform top and bottom sides bounded by a platform periphery; a basepost extending perpendicularly to the tile-supporting platform andincluding post proximal and distal ends, the post proximal end beingattached to the tile-supporting platform by and at a first breakawayjoint possessing a predetermined first tensile strength and apredetermined first shear strength; at least one cross member dependingfrom, and extending perpendicularly to, the post distal end andincluding a cross-member distal edge facing away from thetile-supporting platform and at least one wedge-engaging surface that isspaced apart by a predetermined distance from, and facing, the platformtop side; and a wedge extending longitudinally along a wedge axisbetween a wedge heel and a wedge tip, the wedge including a wedge bottomsurface and a wedge top surface that coextend longitudinally along thewedge axis and mutually converge to define the wedge tip; wherein, (i)the wedge is attached to the cross-member distal edge of thetile-leveling base at a second breakaway joint in order to facilitateselective separation of the wedge from the tile-leveling base withoutfunction-defeating damage to either one of the wedge and tile-levelingbase; (ii) the second breakaway joint possesses a predetermined secondtensile strength and a predetermined second shear strength; and (iii) atleast one of (a) the first tensile strength is greater than the secondtensile strength and (b) the first shear strength is greater than thesecond shear strength such that the wedge separates more easily from thecross-member distal edge than the base post separates from thetile-supporting platform.
 13. The tile-leveling base and wedge of claim12 integrally fabricating by injection molding.